Classroom Management Plan

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Mary Diehl
Standard #2: Learning Differences. The teacher uses understanding of individual
differences and diverse cultures and communities to ensure inclusive learning
environments that enable each learner to meet high standards.

Classroom Management Plan

Research and Theories
My classroom management plan is influenced by Harry and Rosemary Wong, in the
sense that I will seek to implement a pragmatic classroom management model of instruction. A
pragmatic classroom management plan heavily emphasizes the importance of explicit stating of
expectations and the need for positive teacher-student interactions. Harry and Rosemary Wong
stated in their article Effective Teachers (2002), The effective teacher is prepared If you do
not structure your classroom, the students will structure the classroom for you (Wong 2002). A
pragmatic classroom management style requires a pragmatic teacher; that is an instructor with
clear, reasonable expectations for what they will and will not allow in their classrooms. Dave F.
Brown of West Chester University elucidated further on the necessity of teacher-student
communication of expectations in his article, Urban Teachers Professed Classroom
Management Strategies Reflections of Culturally Responsive Teaching (2004) when Brown
claimed, students recognize nonverbal language more so than verbal responses to their
behaviors and comments. They notice teachers facial expressions and other body movements,
especially when they believe teachers should be listening to them (p 271). Wong & Wong
(2002) went even further having affirmed, Students will perform better when they know what
the teacher expects of them (2002). Both Brown (2004) and Wong & Wong (2002) validated

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the necessity of communicating expectations and mutual respect; such will be the crux of my
classroom management plan.
Elements of the Plan
I intend to begin the process of structuring my classroom long before my students come
into school. I will do this in three main ways: proactive lesson planning, creating a
comfortable/effective physical environment, and carefully controlling my responses to the
students. Lesson planning is especially important for framing how your classroom will operate
and what your expectations will be. If you do not know what your students will be doing on any
given day then how can you give your students clear instructions? I will also plan to fill the
entire class period, wasting little time in getting students started with their work. Wong & Wong
(2002) stated the operative verb is DO. By keeping students on track with reasonable
assignments and little down time, students will know what is expected and are given the
opportunity to rise to the occasion. Likewise, by planning ahead I can also more easily plan to
differentiate. For example, oftentimes my C.T. does not have a clear picture of what she will do
with the class until the day before. By fourth hour she will realize that she has failed to modify
the lesson for our blind student. If she had planned more in advance it would be easier to apply
the concept she wanted the visually impaired student to grasp without a visual element. Because
I do not know how many students I will have with IEPs or 504s or what types of challenges they
will face academically, I cannot clearly say how I will plan to accommodate different types of
learners. However, I will dedicate myself to reading their special plans of work and commit to
collaborating with any specialist the school has to offer.

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My next main point of classroom management is the planning and upkeep of the
physical environment. Keeping the temperature at a comfortable level in the classroom and the
furniture clean and tidy can be the difference between a student feeling enabled and comfortable
or completely disregarded. Another important aspect of controlling behavior is setting the
physical environment up to mirror the success you want to see in your students. By creating
seating charts that provide continuity to students and labeling where things are/should go, I will
eliminate some of the confusion for students at the beginning of the school year, especially. The
way that seats are set up will also serve as helpful for student success or a hindrance. I intend to
use the set up of seats as an advantage, if the desks are in rows, students will know that it is an
independent work day, if they are in pods of 4 or 5 desks it will be a collaborative work day.
Something both Wong & Wong (2002) and Brown (2004) stressed the importance of
communicating both verbally and non-verbally with students. I want to project my voice and
present a confident tone when I address the class. However, Wong & Wong (2002) reiterated,
greet each student at the door this is a simple thing that only takes a few seconds and makes
students aware of three things: you know their names, and you acknowledge their presence, you
are happy to see them. In creating appropriate bonds with students based on respect and trust,
behavioral issues will not be prevalent. Wong & Wong (2002) suggests that rules only serve to
challenge students to deviate from your ideal classroom behavior. Instead I will seek to
implement procedures that inform students what I want them TO do. For example, the first
procedure I will have set in place from the first day is that students will come in with all
necessary classroom material, greet the teacher and two classmates, sit down and have their
notebooks ready for the daily quick-write/warm-up. The reason for greeting two other students is
to promote a sense of community and familiarity between students. If a student comes

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unprepared he/she will be given the opportunity to retrieve their items from their locker, the first
time. After the first time offense, a student will be given a referral and three or more warrants a
detention. Once class-time begins each student is expected to complete their warm-up and
remain seated for more instruction. If warm-up is not completed a student will be expected to
come after school to complete it. Students with relevant questions and comments are expected to
raise their hand and be acknowledged by the teacher before speaking, maintaining appropriate
language when addressing myself or the entire class. When I speak, my class listens and just as
importantly when a student speaks all others in the class, myself included, listens and responds
as necessary. If a student routinely interrupts or uses offensive language I would first attempt to
resolve the conflict with the student independent of parents or counselors. If the problem
persisted, I would set up a meeting with the student, their parents and their counselor so that we
could collectively brainstorm and enact a solution to the problem. My bathroom procedure is
also very simple. Students will not be permitted to leave during instructional time; instead they
will be expected to wait until their work-time begins to ask to use the facilities. If I teach in a coed school no more than one boy and one girl may leave at a time, if I am in a single-sex school
only one student is permitted to leave at a time. This is done to minimize inappropriate
socialization and ensure that students asking to leave genuinely need to use the restroom. If a
student abuses the policy either by taking long breaks or by being disruptive in the halls/lavatory
that student will lose their bathroom privileges. In order to be dismissed on time, students will
remain seated until the bell rings. If a student or group of students lines up at the door or attempts
to leave prior to the bell, I will close my door and no one will leave until all students return to
their desks.

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Classroom Diagrams

Diagram A

Diagram B

Diagram C

My physical classroom set-up will be fluid depending on what I have planned for
the day. If my lesson is more conducive toward independent study/thought, such as a test day, a

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longer lesson with less class-time to work etc. I will use the set-up in Diagram A. Diagram A
will also be a default seating chart for substitute teachers to make taking attendance easier. If my
lesson requires work in pairs such as a review day, peer editing etc. I will use the set up in
Diagram B. If my lesson requires a group activity such as brainstorming ideas for drafts, group
project work days etc. I will use the set-up in Diagram C. In this way my students will know
what to expect from the lesson each day and they will also learn to adjust to different classroom
environments/change. My ideal classroom would be a private, well-funded parochial high
school. I have no preference whether the school is co-ed or single sex; likewise I do not have any
ethnic or cultural preferences. Geographically, my ideal classroom will be in or around Saint
Clair Shores, MI because that is where I want to continue living and I do not want a long
commute.
One of the most important aspects of teaching is building relationships. As a teacher I
will send a note home the first day and an email that will give parents/guardians my work phone
number and email. I will also give parents the option of receiving a monthly report, outlining
what their students have learned so that they can have a more firm understanding of what goes
on in the classroom. If a parent has a problem or concern I will encourage them to email me so
that I am aware of the situation. I will also make the time to conference with them individually
with the contingency that parents must first set-up a time/date with me. If I have the opportunity
to take my students on field trips I will appeal to parents for chaperoning. Any parent, at any
time may come and sit in on a lesson; however, the parent would be expected to remain silent so
as not to be too much of a distraction to students and I would prefer parents to set this date up
with me in advance.

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Works Cited

Brown, D. (2004, May 1). URBAN TEACHERS PROFESSED CLASSROOM

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Reflections of Culturally Responsive Teaching.
Retrieved November 9, 2014, from
http://www.bobbijokenyon.com/crm/classroom_management_urban_teachers.pdf
Wong, H, and Rosemary Wong (1 June 2002). Effective Teaching... Teachers.net Gazette. Web.
9 Nov. 2014.